What to avoid and when

• All essential oils if pregnant or breast feeding. Also not suitable for children under 5.
• Allspice if suffering from stomach ulcers, ulcerative colitis and diverticulitis.
• Almonds, cabbage and kale, plums and prunes if suffering from gout, bladder stones, gallstones or kidney stones, joint problems, osteoporosis or thyroid gland problems.
• Aloe vera, cats claw, dandelion, Echinacea and astragalus if pregnant or breast feeding or have high blood pressure.
• Angelica (dong quai), cumin, ginger, Japanese knotweed, motherwort and turmeric if taking anticoagulants (blood thinning medication) hormone therapies and contraception or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen, have heart problems and during the first trimester of pregnancy.
• Ginger if taking blood thinning medications and during the first trimester of pregnancy.
• Chlorella and spirulina if suffering from a seafood or iodine allergy, a metabolic condition called phenylketonuria (PKU), multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. If pregnant or nursing or have hyperthyroidism, consult a healthcare provider before taking spirulina. It may interfere with medications to suppress the immune system.
• Devil’s claw if diabetic or taking blood pressure or blood-thinning medications.
• Ginger if taking blood thinning medications and during the first trimester of pregnancy.
• Ginseng if pregnant or breast feeding or suffering from asthma, emphysema, fibrocystic breasts, high blood pressure, clotting problems and cardiac arrhythmia
• Goji berries if taking medication for diabetes, high blood pressure or anti-coagulants (blood thinners) such as warfarin or aspirin.
• Grapefruit can interact with many types of medications, such as statins or blood pressure medications amongst others, by reducing or increasing their effectiveness.
• Land caltrop can cause foetal miscarriage and must be avoided by pregnant or breast-feeding women or individuals with breast or prostate cancer. Excess consumption of land caltrop can cause sleep disturbances and irregular menstruation, and high doses may adversely affect the eyes and liver.
• Linden if suffering from heart disease or are pregnant or breast feeding or if taking diuretics as it could increase the concentration of lithium in the blood.
• Liquorice root if suffering from high blood pressure, a heart condition, oedema or are taking certain medications such as warfarin or diuretics.
• Marshmallow herb if suffering with diabetes, alcohol dependency or liver disease or if pregnant or breast feeding.
• Mushrooms and yeast products if infected by herpes as these can bring on a resurgence of the virus.
• Nettles if suffering from heart or kidney problems.
• Reishi mushrooms if taking medication for anti-hypertensive, blood sugar lowering medications and anti-coagulants or are pregnant.
• Rosemary if pregnant or breastfeeding or suffering from high blood pressure.
• Sage if pregnant or suffering from epilepsy.
• Scutellaria if pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Senega root if hypersensitive to salicylates or aspirin or pregnant.
• Siberian ginseng if suffering from high blood pressure or anxiety.
• Swiss chard if there is an existing and untreated kidney or gallbladder problem.

NOTE: Motherwort may be habit forming.

NOTE: Avoid yohimbine and ginseng under any of the following circumstances:

• Allergic Hypersensitivity
• Angina pectoris and cardiac disease
• Asthma
• Anxiety
• Cardiac arrhythmia
• Children
• Chronic inflammation of sexual organs
• Clotting problems
• Depression
• Elderly
• Emphysema
• Fibrocystic breasts
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Pregnant or breast feeding
• Prostatitis
• Schizophrenia

Only eat fruit and vegetables if they are organic because of the risk of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides:

Non-organic foods that can contain pesticide residues

NOTE: Many herbs are powerful and can react with medications especially astragalus, cats claw, dandelion, and echinacea. Always check before taking at the same time as any drugs. Grapefruit can also affect medications and should be avoided if taking any. See>> Medication dangers

To find out which houseplants can clear toxic pollutants from the home see>> Air-purifying houseplants

To avoid chemicals in cleaning products see>> Hygiene and health

Related subjects

• A-Z of Ailments
• Allergies
• Anti-microbial healing plants and foods
• Bacterial infections and natural antibiotics
• Brine pickling for health
• Fungal and yeast infections
• Gland disorders
• Healthy diet to aid recovery
• Immune system disorders
• Mosquito-borne infections
• Parasites
• Sprouting greens
• Virus infections
• What are free radicals?

Join our mailing list to receive your monthly emailed newsletter with all the latest scientific findings for natural health remedies.